Structure of toothbrush

ABSTRACT

An improved toothbrush includes a head, which has a surface on which multiple bristles are mounted. The head has an end on which a shank is formed. The shank has a lower end on which a first coupling member is formed. A handle has upper and lower ends, which are respectively formed with a second coupling member and an opening. The second coupling member is engageable with and coupleable with the first coupling member. The handle has a first receiving chamber formed therein and in communication with the opening. A first lid is detachably mounted to and covers the opening. The handle includes a press-down section formed in each of a front end portion and area end portion thereof, such that the press-down sections correspond to the first receiving chamber.

(a) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a toothbrush, and more particularly to an improved structure of a toothbrush that comprises a replaceable head and a handle having an interior space that receives toothpaste filled therein.

(b) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

People are concerned about health of teeth and often clean teeth, generally with a toothbrush, several times everyday, including brushing in the morning and at night and also after having a meal. The toothbrush is generally used in combination with toothpaste or tooth cleaning agents that is applied on bristles of the toothbrush head. The bristles with toothpaste or tooth cleaning agent thereon may then be used to brush an oral cavity, such as teeth or soft tissues including tongue and/or gums. Some people are used to carry a toothbrush when they are traveling in order to provide an easy way of cleaning teeth with the toothbrush carried. Further, the trend of environmental protection also urges people to carry their own toothbrushes when they are taking a trip out of town or aboard. For a person what is taking a trip, lowering the load of carrying articles would be one of the major concerns.

Functionality of known toothbrushes are generally considered insufficient and carrying is also inconvenient. In addition, manufacturing and use of such known toothbrushes are also not green at all. Particularly, hotels often supply disposable toothbrushes and toothpaste to people staying in the hotels and the number of such toothbrushes is very huge, making it a tremendous waste. Such toothbrushes are disposed after being used for just one time or at most a few times and the toothpaste provided with the toothbrushes is also disposed before it has been completely used up. This leads to a tremendous amount of garbage or wastes. Apparently, the conventionally used toothbrush requires further improvement.

In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a solution that overcomes such problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an improved structure of a toothbrush, which comprises: a head, which has a surface on which multiple bristles are mounted, the head having an end on which a shank is formed, the shank having a lower end on which a first coupling member is formed; and a handle, which has upper and lower ends, which are respectively formed with a second coupling member and an opening, the second coupling member being engageable with and coupleable with the first coupling member, the handle comprising a first receiving chamber formed therein and in communication with the opening, a first lid being detachably mounted to and covering the opening, the handle comprising a press-down section formed in a front end portion and area end portion thereof, such that the press-down sections correspond to the first receiving chamber.

The primary object of the improved structure of the toothbrush of the present invention is as follows:

The present invention provides a toothbrush that has a size that is shorter than a conventional toothbrush and can be readily carried. Considering the contemporary trend of environmental protection, the present invention helps save materials in manufacturing the toothbrush and also allows the handle to be re-usable. This would bring a new tide of environmental protection to the hotel business for the hotels just need to supply the brush heads only, while the visitors may bring their own handles. This would greatly reduce the lavatory expenditure of the hotels and also helps prevent misuse and waste by the visitors. In addition, the handle may receive toothpaste filled therein so that a travels does not need to additionally carry tooth paste and the hotel may save the cost of supplying tooth paste. All these make it more environment protecting. Further, the present invention may be made in an extendable/retractable to provide convenience for different habits of different users.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a use of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention provides an improved structure of a toothbrush 1, which comprises: a head 10 and a handle 20. Details will be provided below.

The head 10 has a surface on which multiple bristles 11 are mounted. The head 10 has an end on which a shank 12 is mounted. The shank 12 has a lower end on which a first coupling member 13 is formed.

The handle 20 has an upper end and a lower end that are respectively provided with a second coupling member 21 and an opening 22 formed thereon. The second coupling member 21 and the first coupling member 13 correspond to and are mating and combinable with each other. The handle 20 comprises a first receiving chamber 23 formed therein and in communication with the opening 22 and a first lid 24 detachably mounted to the opening 22. The handle 20 is provided, on a front end section and a rear end section, with a press-down section 25, and the press-down section 25 is arranged to correspond to the first receiving chamber 23.

Referring to FIG. 2, in the instant embodiment, the first coupling member 13 and the second coupling member 21 are respectively a pin and an insertion hole, but not limited thereto. The first coupling member 13 may be provided with a thread (not shown) thereon for screwing engagement with the second coupling member 21.

Referring to FIG. 2, the handle 20 is provided, in a front end section or a surface thereof, with a recess 26 and a second lid 27. The second lid 27 is light transparent and is mounted, in a detachable manner, to the recess 26.

In the instant embodiment, the recess 26 is formed at a located above the press-down section 25, for example the lower one, but is not limited to such a position and may be alternatively formed at a location just below a lower edge of the press-down section 25 or any location on the handle 20. The recess 26 may receive an identification device (not shown), such as a name card or a color strip, mounted thereto for identification of the owner of the handle 20.

Referring to FIG. 3, the first receiving chamber 23 provides a space for receiving tooth paste 30 to fill therein. The handle 20 has a rigidity that is greater than rigidity of each of the press-down sections 25. Preferably, the press-down sections 25 are made of a flexible material so that the press-down sections 25 can be depressed down to squeeze the space of the first receiving chamber 23 for pushing or driving the tooth paste 30 out through the opening 22 onto the bristles 11 of the head 10. The head 10 and the handle 20 may then be assembled together to show a regular toothbrush configuration as shown in FIG. 1 to allow a user to brush teeth.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the claims of the present invention. 

I claim:
 1. A toothbrush, comprising: a head, which has a surface on which multiple bristles are mounted, the head having an end on which a shank is formed, the shank having a lower end on which a first coupling member is formed; and a handle, which has upper and lower ends, which are respectively formed with a second coupling member and an opening, the second coupling member being engageable with and coupleable with the first coupling member, the handle comprising a first receiving chamber formed therein and in communication with the opening, a first lid being detachably mounted to and covering the opening, the handle comprising a press-down section formed in at least one of a front end portion and area end portion thereof, such that the press-down section corresponds to the first receiving chamber.
 2. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the handle has rigidity that is greater than rigidity of the press-down sections and the press-down sections are made of a flexible material.
 3. The toothbrush according to claim 2, wherein the handle comprises a recess and a second lid, the second lid being light transmittable and being detachably coupled to and covering the recess, the recess being located above one of the press-down sections.
 4. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a recess and a second lid, the second lid being light transmittable and being detachably coupled to and covering the recess.
 5. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling member and the second coupling member respectively comprise a pin and an insertion hole.
 6. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling member comprises a thread and the first coupling member is coupleable to the second coupling member through screwing. 